Mbaka Muriuki and Kanini Kungania at a retreat in Gatanga. [Photo/Courtesy]

Former Muuga FM Head of Radio Winnie Kungania has deactivated her Facebook account after we last week reported her ugly altercation with the station’s current boss, Grace Mukiri.

This is after she was trolled badly by Facebook users including those that worked under her accusing her of ‘not moving on’.

The ‘trollers’ observed that Winnie keeps on posting ‘angry spats’ targeted at her former employer (RMS) whom Winnie accuses of running down the station.

Muuga FM fans who apparently adore Mukiri’s work attacked Winnie telling her that she should be grateful that someone is trying to undo the ‘mess’ she left behind after she got fired.

Before then, tired of Winnie’s endless social media rantings that undoubtedly portrayed her as an incompetent boss, Mukiri alias Kiki told had told off Winnie adding that she was not going to sit back as Winnie discredited and undermined her work.

And what was the genesis of all this?

Well, it was after Winnie posted a congratulatory message to Frank Gituma, the head of the rival Mediamax Network-owned Meru FM, after a survey conducted by Kenya Audience Research Foundation (KARF) showed Meru FM was way ahead of Muuga.

The contested KARF survey that puts Meru FM ahead of Muuga FM in Upper Eastern. [Credit/KARF]The survey has, however, been contested with some feeling that it was grossly biased. For instance, the critics could not fathom how the litttle-known Mwago FM had audience ratings almost similar to those of Weru FM.

However, one critic who sought anonymity opines why Weru FM could have performed as such.

“Weru FM is supposed to be competing with the market leaders but sadly they are sacking employees left, right and centre giving leeway to the market leaders Meru FM and Muuga Fm to flourish,” the critics says.

On the other hand, those that were ‘favoured’ by the survey welcomed it with both hands terming it as ‘objective’ and a reflection of the reality on the ground.

Back to Winnie’s story….

What really led to her firing from the helm of Muuga FM after steering it for 10 good years?

Well, our source who is privy to the running of the station, says that Winnie was fired due to plummeting audience ratings that were continuously being eaten by the main rival Meru FM which eventually overtook the S.K Macharia-owned station not very long time ago.

“During Winnie’s tenure at Muuga FM, she led with an iron FIST AND anyone who failed to toe her line would be punished by being swapped to unpopular shows as A punishment AND To ASSERT her Authority,” the source says.

The source, nevertheless, notes that the last nail on Winnie’s coffin as Muuga FM head, came when she started dating her junior staff, Mbaka Muriuki, who has since become her husband.

“Mbaka came to assume this childish attitude such that he started to become temperamental and could at any day wake up and just decide he would not go to work sometimes even for a week. All this time his boss-turn-bae would cover up for him by having another presenter stand in for him. This went on for long despite the two being rumored of having frequent marital fights,” the source adds.

Mbaka, we are told, would even use his new-found love’s influence to become the deputy head of Muuga.

With authority in hand, Mbaka would thereafter snatch a popular farming show at the station christened ‘Kaju Ka Murimi’ which according to the source had been doing ‘very well under presenter Mwenda Gichuru but failed terribly under Mbaka’.

“But we knEw why they needed so badly to take over the program. It was all about soliciting money from farmers who wanted to be featured on the program,” the source notes.

All this came at a heavy cost of course, that included poor ratings of the station which prompted the RMS management to swing into action to salvage the sinking ship.

These actions included bringing back Mwana Ontii and Mgongoo who had by then shifted their allegiance to competitor Meru FM. However, the desired results didn’t materialize leading the management to do the necessary; tackle the bull by its horns.

This is what led to Winnie and Mbaka’s unceremonial dismissal with Mukiri taking over instantly to save the station that was by then on its eternal deathbed.

Looks like this is what Winnie isn’t going to forgive Kiki for very soon!

Our source, however, remains optimistic that following Winnie’s exit, Muuga FM now has a ‘fat’ chance of regaining its market leader position.

“muuga fm may be struggling now but it is struggling on its way up. muuga’s main undoing has for a long time been regional unbalancing but they are slowly improving on that. for example, during mukiri’s short stint as muuga fm head, she has been able to bring in elaine mukami from chogoria, aphoind murangiri, and veteran kathure mukuru from chuka,” the source observes.

Meru FM on the other hand, we are told, could be on a downward trajectory due to what an insider there terms as ‘monkey business of sacking employees via sms’. We are following this matter and we will soon serve you with the whole scoop as and when we get it.

UPDATE:Winnie Kungania few hours after the publication of this story on Wednesday, reactivated her Facebook account.